Should We Be 'Up And Up Cycling' Our Furniture?

Jul 24, 2015 | Categories:

'Up cycling' is a phrase most people will have heard of over the past few years and the trend of restoring knackered furniture has become very popular thanks to the success of sites like freecycle and TV shows like Fill Your House For Free.

We recently found out, however, that there is a new kid on the block with a rather similar name. Meet 'up and up cycling'.

This latest interior design trend entails buying brand new budget furniture items and renovating them to a high standard, incorporating a unique or vintage look in order to add value. 'Up and up cyclers' identify affordable items which can easily be modified by adding detail or re-painting.

According to furniture supplier furniture123, the trend may not be quite as unheard of as we first thought. The firm says that of 1,000 people it surveyed, 2 in 5 have 'up and up cycled' furniture, while 1 in 3 who had done so said they had managed to sell on the finished articles for a profit.

The firm's research found that bed frames are the most commonly 'up and up cycled' item. Followed by wardrobes, storage boxes, coffee tables and vanity tables.
“Buying statement furniture can often be very expensive, and larger pieces such as wardrobes or beds are hard to find within the average price range. The up and up cycling trend allows those who are looking for something different to create their own, unique style within their homes which is still good quality without breaking the bank,” argues Mark Kelly of furniture123.

“We’re seeing the up and up cycling trend more often, as people are looking to make their homes unique while keeping to a fairly reasonable budget. We get a lot of enquiries from customers asking about the materials our furniture is made from, to see if paint will take to it and so on,” he adds.
Now while this latest property trend may be a bit of gimmick, or in reality something that people have been doing for years, it does highlight the importance of getting your home up to scratch before selling.

Giving existing items of furniture a facelift or reshuffling the layout of a room can really boost your home's appeal to prospective property buyers. If you go down the painting route, it may seem bland but neutral is best. This allows potential new owners to easily envisage how the room or home may feel once they have put their own stamp on it.

Earlier this month we took a look at some of this season's hottest interior design trends, which you can find here for some renovation inspiration.
If you're thinking of selling your property, here at Sarah Beeny's Tepilo we'd be delighted to help. Our trained, experienced team is here to help you 24/7 and we'll manage your sale from day one all the way through to completion.

To find out how much your property could be worth on today's market, check out our instant online valuation page.